11 Southold Coronavirus Cases: What The State Of Emergency Means

NORTH FORK, NY — Southold Town has 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell confirmed Friday, one day after he declared a state of emergency.

Southold has the highest number of confirmed cases of the 28 coronavirus cases identified in Suffolk County.

"That number is expected to grow as testing becomes more readily available," Russell said in a statement.

In addition, Harbor Pet in Greenport announced that they will close Friday and Saturday after one of their employees was in contact with someone "we believe has tested positive for the coronavirus."

The store will be deep-cleaned and all grooming has been canceled for the next week, the announcement said.

Meanwhile, Sharon Sailor, owner of Front Street Station in Greenport, announced that the business was reopened Friday after it was closed Thursday for cleaning. Sailor said an employee is related to person who tested positive at the Southold Fish Market.

"We are open today!," Sailor wrote on Facebook. "We have been washed, washed, washed, and then disinfected. Our employee is still home and showing no symptoms. We want our patrons to feel as comfortable as possible. We have an abundance of hand sanitizer. We are offering paper to-go disposable menus if you choose; also, upon request, if you are more comfortable, we have pre-wrapped to-go utensils for you to use instead of our traditional silverware. We are following all protocols and instructions we receive. So let’s smile and get through this together."

What is a state of emergency?

Russell explained to Patch exactly what a state of emergency entails.

The declaration, he said, allows the town to set aside the state's procurement and bidding policies, allowing officials to hire who is available without requiring work be put out to bid.

A state of emergency also gives the town the authority to impose policy on public gatherings, including bans.

The measure also expands policing powers if necessary, Russell said, and allows towns to override any state and county regulations to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the community.

"Basically, it allows us to take whatever action is necessary to protect the public's health," Russell said.

As of Thursday, all Southold Town office buildings were closed to the public. All public meetings, hearings and town-sponsored programs were canceled until further notice. Residents can still access the various departments by phone or email

On Tuesday, Russell hosted a meeting with Southold's expanded emergency management team consisting of more than 35 government officials, including representatives from Suffolk County, local school officials, fire department chiefs, town senior services and health care administrators.

Eastern Long Island Hospital stops visitation

Eastern Long Island Hospital announced that it will no longer allow visitation for adult patients until further notice. There are no visitors allowed in the emergency department. For patients requiring assistance, one visitor may be permitted. Only one visitor per pediatric patient is allowed in the emergency room and must be a parent or caregiver only, ELIH said.

New coronavirus cases at Peconic Landing

On Thursday, two additional employees of Peconic Landing, a retirement community in Greenport, tested positive for coronavirus.

A per diem employee at Peconic Landing was confirmed to have coronavirus Tuesday. Peconic Landing officials said the employee worked in a "relatively isolated area, with minimal contact to our population." Efforts are underway to continue sanitizing the facility but no residents are believed to be impacted, Peconic Landing CEO and President Bob Syron told Patch Wednesday. All residents, he added, are being monitored closely.

Peconic Landing was notified Thursday morning by the Suffolk County Department of Health that a second and third employee tested positive for COVID-19.

"We are in constant contact with the Suffolk County Department of Health and following their direction," Peconic Landing said in a statement. "The Suffolk County Department of Health is currently undergoing an investigation to identify individuals who may have had direct contact with these employees."

The Suffolk County Department of Health will contact the individuals directly.

"Due to HIPAA regulations we are unable to provide specific information about the employees," Peconic Landing said.

The retirement community suspended outside visitation until further notice.

"We are not under quarantine," the statement continued. "We are, however, identifying additional opportunities to protect our members' and employees' safety and well-being. Recommendations from the Governor's Office, the Suffolk County Health Commissioner, the NY State Department of Health and the CDC support this approach."

The focus is on ensuring the safety and well-being of members and employees, the statement said.

Peconic Landing is communicating all updates to members and employees via internal communication channels and will be providing ongoing updates through its website and social media channels.

County state of emergency

On Thursday, County Executive Steve Bellone declared a countywide state of emergency with the number rising dramatically from Wednesday.

News continued to break across the North Fork of businesses closing due to new, confirmed cases.
The Suffolk Times posted a message on social media Thursday: "We have learned that a part-time member of our staff has tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus after seeking medical attention at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital," the post read.

"This employee has not worked since March 3 and we will work closely with the Suffolk County Department of Health, State Health Department and CDC following their recommended protocols," the post continued. "The employee does not interact with the public in their role on our staff, but we have proactively put procedures in place. Our office will be temporarily closed and our employees will work from home until further notice. The good news is our colleague is feeling significantly better and is well on their way to making a full recovery."

An employee at Southold Fish Market was diagnosed with coronavirus, company officials announced Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Greenport schools closed Thursday for two days after three students were quarantined.

"We have been notified by an employee that he has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus," a post on the Southold Fish Market Facebook page read Wednesday. "As a precaution we have sanitized the entire establishment and will close tomorrow so the Board of Health can be notified and a protocol can be established. Thank you for your understanding."

Greenport, Southold and Mattituck-Cutchogue Schools were all closed Friday. There were no confirmed cases in those districts.

Three Greenport students were placed in mandatory quarantine, Greenport schools Superintendent David Gamberg said Wednesday.

"They are asymptomatic, and we have been repeatedly advised that they do not pose a risk, per the Suffolk County Health Department," Gamberg said.

On Wednesday, Bellone said that there was a connection between one of Suffolk County's confirmed cases, a woman in her 20s who remains isolated at her home in Southold, and the first confirmed Suffolk case, a man in his 40s who works at the Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. in Peconic. He was initially treated at Eastern Long Island Hospital then transferred to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where he remains isolated in fair condition and is "improving," hospital officials said.

The Shoreham-Wading River School District closed Monday, sending buses of students back home, after it was learned that the spouse of a staff member may have had contact with coronavirus. The district reopened Tuesday.